ADVANCED

ADVANCED OVERLINE
SYSTEMS ASSESSMENT
OF OVERLINE OF
ASSESSMENT
OF COATINGS
COATINGS AND
AND CATHODIC
CATHODIC PROTECTION
PROTECTION

Brian S. Wyatt
Eur Ing, BSc, C Eng, MIM, FICorr, FIHT, FCS

Corrosion Control
Acton Trussell, Staffordshire, ST17 0SN
England
www.controlcorrosion.co.uk

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

EXTERNAL CORROSION CONTROL

• Combination of barrier coatings and Cathodic Protection
• Cathodic Protection current flows to coating defects that
expose steel AND through the undamaged coating dependent
upon the specific electrical resistance
• Overline electrical surveys are used to audit the performance
of BOTH coatings and Cathodic Protection detecting where
corrosion risk exists
• Internal intelligent pigging is used to audit the extent of
existing corrosion

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
PAPER SUMMARY
• Pipeline coating construction damage and in-service deterioration
• Increasing Cathodic Protection demand due to coating
deterioration
• Impact of third party
- pipeline / Cathodic Protection deterioration
- rail
- ac power distribution
on external corrosion control
• Advanced CIPS + integrated recorded DCVG surveys to
characterise Cathodic Protection and coatings
• Use of data from CIPS + recorded DCVG to prioritise remedial work
to external corrosion control systems CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CASE STUDY
Year 2001 survey of SUMED’s 42 in x 640 km pipeline network across
Egypt

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

COATING DAMAGE & DETERIORATION

• Damage during handling and laying
• Failures during commissioning and operation
• rock penetration during installation and service
• soil loading and shear failure during operation
• lack of coating integrity at elevated temperature
• disbonding through pipe movement and lack of adhesion
• disbonding due to inadequate surface cleaning
• enhanced failure at low temperatures

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
COATING DAMAGE & DETERIORATION (2)
• poor coating electrical properties
- poorly formulated asphaltic enamel
- “coked” asphaltic & coal tar enamel
- thin FBE
• deteriorating electrical properties
- moisture absorption
- film breakdown
• characteristic failures
- spiral corrosion / disbondment : tapes
- disbondment of coal tar and asphaltic enamels
CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
COATING DAMAGE & DETERIORATION (3)
• inadequate field joint coatings
• third party damage (plough / excavation)
• Construction damage has often been assessed at end of contract
maintenance period
- coating attenuation survey
- Pearson or DCVG surveys
- CIPS + recorded DCVG
• Even the most robust pipeline coatings suffer construction damage
- Ref 3 : 0 - 14 defects /km with 3 layer PE

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

COATING DAMAGE & DETERIORATION (4)

• Even without significant defects some (older) coatings will
become more conductive with time, increasing Cathodic
Protection demand
• Most in service conditions will result in through coating defects
to expose steel thus risks of disbondment

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
IMPACT OF COATING DAMAGE / DETERIORATION ON
CATHODIC PROTECTION
Notional Example:
• New 14 in dia pipeline, 35µA/m2 for Cathodic Protection increasing to
500µA/m2 over 15 years. [“medium quality”]
• Cathodic Protection @ commissioning
2.5 Amp stations every 46km
• Cathodic Protection @ 15 years
10.7 Amp stations every 15km
• Localised defects may be inadequately protected
i.e. C.P. stations must be MORE FREQUENT as well as greater capacity
and the line requires survey to determine efficacy of corrosion
protection CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
THIRD PARTY DAMAGE & INTERACTION
• Impact damage to coatings and pipe
- coating damage detect by overline survey
- pipe damage detect by intelligent pig
• Metallic connections
- unprotected pipelines crossing
- construction debris
[ similar effects from:
- steel casings … frequent problem
- reinforcement contact at valve chambers
- electrical earthing at valves / terminals]
CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

THIRD PARTY DAMAGE & INTERACTION (2)

• Third party pipelines with cathodic protection
- new Cathodic Protection ≡ new interaction
- ageing pipeline ≡ increasing interaction
•dc rail systems
- severe fluctuating dc stray current, widespread
- 1 Amp-year ≡ 10Kg steel consumed
• ac power distribution systems
- induced current / voltage in pipelines
- safety hazards
- corrosion if ac discharge ≥ 30A/m2
CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

PIPELINE SURVEY TECHNIQUES

• Current attenuation surveys
- average data over distance
- coating resistance only, not corrosion
• Pearson surveys and DCVG surveys
- local data, coating defects
- coating quality only, not corrosion
- normally not recorded; operator sensitive

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

PIPELINE SURVEY TECHNIQUES

• CIPS surveys
- local data, cathodic protection / corrosion risk
- indication of coating defects but not as discriminating as
DCVG
- recorded BUT no adequate International Standards

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
VM = Measured potential
VIR = Ohmic component ( IR error )
V P = Polarised Potential
VM = V IR + V P D.C
VM Supply
+ -

+
VIR Anode
-

Pipe

Fig 1
I.R. Drop Error Component of Potential Measurement
CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

I.R Error

- 1.2 Polarised or Instantaneous

OFF Potential

- 1.0
Depolarisation

- 0.8 C.P.ON C.P. OFF

Switch OFF

0 500 1000 1500 2000

Time - Milli- seconds
Fig 2
Idealised Polarised Potential Measurement
CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
Recording Voltmeter
Distance and ( Data logger )
contact wire

Test
Post
Reference
Electrode

Defect

Defect Defect

Soil Variance Metallic

Contact
-1.5
wrt Cu/CuSO4 volts
Pipe / Soil Potential

-1.0

-0.85

-0.5

0
DISTANCE

Fig 3
Close Interval Overline Potential Survey

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

Recording Voltmeter
Distance and ( Data logger )
contact wire Transformer
Rectifier
Fence

Test
Post
Reference Timer/
Electrode Contactor

Defect Groundbed

Defect Defect
Pipe /Soil
Soil Variance Metallic Potential
‘ON’
Contact
-1.5
w r t C u /C u S O 4 v o lts
P ip e / S o il P o t e n tia l

-1.0

-0.85 I.R. Drop Free

Polarised ‘OFF’
Potential
-0.5 Fence
Test Point
0
DISTANCE

Fig 4
Close Interval Overline Polarised Potential Survey

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

Mobile
Data logger
Transformer
Rectifier

Static
Data
Collector
Timer/
Switching
Device

Defect

Defect Stray Defect

Current
Soil Variance Metallic
Contact
Static
M obile

Precise Time Linkage Mobile and Static

Fig 8
Close Interval Overline Polarised Potential Survey
Mobile + Static + Switching Device
CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

Transformer
Rectifier

Static
Data
Collector
Timer
Switching
Device

Defect

Defect Stray Defect

Current
Soil Variance Metallic
Contact

+200
DCVG

-200

Precise Time Linkage Mobile , DCGV and Static

Fig 9
Close Interval Overline Polarised Potential Survey and DCVG
Mobile Data logger + Static + Switching Device

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

Approaching a Defect Over a Defect Past a Defect

Equipotential
Gradient
Lines

Current Flow
Through the Current Flow
Soil Through the
Soil

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

Pipe / Soil
Potential Survey Progress
at Test Transformer
points only Rectifier

Slow
Non Precision
Synchronised
Timer/
Switching
Device

Defect Defect

Soil Variance Metallic

Contact

No Recording
Analogue Indication Only
No Local Pipe / Soil Potential
No Distance Measurement
Peg / Mark and Manually Record

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
Repeat Measurements
1 2 3 4

Defect

15mV 8mV 3mV 1mV For Example

= 27mV

Analogue DCVG Defect Characterisation

1. “DEFECT IR” : “Overline to Remote Earth” = 27mV.

2. “Pipe / Soil Potential shift ( ON - OFF ) : Applied Signal”

at Defect is ESTIMATED as straight line attenuation
between test points, say 300mV

3. Defect Size ( % IR ) = “ Defect IR” mV

“Applied Signal” mV
say 27 = 9%
Pipe
300

Fig 12
Non Recorded Analogue DCVG Defect Characterisation

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

Transformer
Rectifier

Optional
Precision Static
Data
Timer / Collector
Switching
Device

Defect

Defect Stray Defect

Current
Soil Variance Metallic
Contact
Static Data
on another
0 graph

-200

+200
DCVG

-200

Precise Time Linkage Mobile , DCGV and Static

Fig. 13 Combined Enhanced CIPS & Recorded DCVG to Indicate Defect Size.

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CASE STUDY
Year 2001 survey of SUMED’s 42 in x 640 km pipeline network across
Egypt

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

SUMED PIPELINE NETWORK

• Twin 42in dia (1068mm) pipelines from Red Sea to Mediterranean, circa
320km length
• Circumvents Suez Canal to permit VLCC’s to partially unload and pass
through canal
• Route incorporates desert, mountain, sabkha, industrial region,
irrigated farmland, fresh water crossings including the Nile River near
Helwan and salt water lakes
• Constructed in 1974 - 1975, butyl rubber / polyethylene tape coating
with 10 % overlap plus outerwrap

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

SUMED CATHODIC PROTECTION SYSTEMS

• At commissioning in 1975
- transformer - rectifier powered CP stations @ km 0, km 105, km
137 & km 320
- solar / battery powered CP stations @ km 52, km 176, km 220, km
271 &km 284
i.e. every circa 50km
• In 1988 a new dc rail system at around km 105 dictated installation of
potential controlled powered rail bond to overcome severe interaction
• in 1993 an analogue non recorded DCVG coating defect survey
located some 3500 defects along the two pipelines

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

SUMED CATHODIC PROTECTION SYSTEMS

• Coating repairs / re-coating programme instigated in 1993, plus
additional solar powered CP stations @ km 40.5, km 66 & km 82
i.e. CP stations now every 25 km for first half of line
• Initial current circa 5µA/m2 now circa 70 µA/m2
• Leak at km 300 in 2001 due to impact damage and corrosion

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

SUMED ADVANCED CIPS & RECORDED DCVG SURVEY : 2001

• Syncronisation of switchers AND data loggers to +/- 10 mS / 24
hour
• Switching 4 or 5 No CP stations throughout survey
• Switching any inter-pipeline bonds > 20 mA
• Daily calibration checks of all equipment and oscilloscope checks of
syncronisation

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

SUMED ADVANCED CIPS & RECORDED DCVG SURVEY : 2001

• 2 No Mobile Data Loggers, 1 per pipeline

• For each pipeline
- channel 1: “Mobile 1” ON and INSTANT OFF pipe / soil
potential : CIPS data
- channel 2 : Repeat ON / OFF pipe / soil potential 10 meters
trailing “Mobile 2” : CIPS data: Quality check for both CIPS and
DCVG
- channel 3: DC Voltage gradient between Mobile 1 and
Mobile 2 : DCVG data

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

Sumed Pipeline PL2C - Defect Sizing and Instant Off summary

-50 -2000
Defect Sizing (calculated radius(cm))

-45 -1800

Instant Off potential (mV)

-40 -1600
-35 -1400
-30 -1200
-25 -1000
-20 -800
-15 -600
-10 -400
-5 -200
0 0
52000 53000 54000 55000 56000
Distance (m)

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

SUMED PIPELINE PL2C : DEFECT AND CP SUMMARY TABLE

Km Largest Indicated Defect No of Defects Large Medium Small

Distance Sizing instant off >=10 <10 and >3 <3 Total size off size off size off
52-53 52342 -134 -815 91 52 10 153 -15 -850 -08 -854 -01 -909

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
CONCLUSIONS
• Pipeline coatings are NEVER perfect. They ALWAYS suffer damage
and deterioration during construction and service
• This deterioration dictates increased cathodic protection current AND
decreased spacing between CP stations.
• Third party impact damage along with soil stress / soil movement /
pipe movement damage results in coating defects exposing steel to soil
•Pipeline environments vary with time due to third party activity, in
particular dc rail, ac power distribution and interfering Cathodic
Protection systems
• Advanced CIPS + recorded DCVG with accurate syncronisation of
switchers AND data loggers can fully characterise external corrosion
control measures, BOTH CP and coatings

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
CONCLUSIONS
• CIPS + DCVG surveys will determine those areas at corrosion risk.
Intelligent pig surveys will determine the extent of past corrosion
damage including corrosion under intact disbonded coating.
• The SUMED case study demonstrates that:
- CIPS + DCVG surveys can be undertaken with a full quality
audit trail and duplicate data measurement to ensure accuracy
- Survey rates of 7.5 km per day are possible even in difficult
terrain
- The 2001 CIPS + recorded DCVG survey located and
characterised some 130,000 coating defects compared with
the 1993 analogue DCVG survey that located only 3500 defects

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
CONCLUSIONS
- The 2001 CIPS + DCVG survey characterised the Cathodic
Protection performance and identified corrosion risk areas
- The 2001 CIPS + DCVG survey presents SUMED with three
levels of survey record :
1. A tabular summary , 1 line per km of
significance of defects and their corrosion activity
2. A 10 km per page graphical presentation of
coating defect significance and “Instant Off” pipe / soil
potential
3. A detailed graphical presentation of 1 km per page
presenting duplicate CIPS ON and INSTANT OFF
pipe / soil potential data at 1-2 meters intervals,recorded
DCVG data, recorded static pipe / soil potential data and
calculated coating defect intensity CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
CONCLUSIONS
- All data can be individually accessed via an
electronic data management system
- From the results SUMED can determine which areas
of the pipeline network require
1 Localised coating repair
2 Extensive coating refurbishment
3 Cathodic Protection system enhancement
- In conjunction with intelligent pig survey these data
should enable the full asset management
requirements of SUMED to be implemented

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CONCLUSIONS
• A variety of overline survey techniques are available; their
selection is critical and a combination may be appropriate

• Non recorded surveys are subject to operator error and can

not be properly audited

• Combined CIPS + DCVG surveys require proper

specification and Quality Management; present International
Standards are inadequate

• Combined CIPS + DCVG surveys may require to be

supplemented with ac corrosion data and testing and
investigation at casings

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
CONCLUSIONS

• No overline survey can locate disbonded coatings without

through coating defects/exposed steel

• Investigations at Integrated CIPS + Recorded DCVG coating

defects may enable a risk assessment of disbonded coatings if
disbondment is associated with through coating defects

• Corrosion under disbonded coatings can only be located and

assessed with certainty by appropriate intelligent pig
inspection surveys

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION
CONCLUSIONS

• Overline Combined CIPS + Recorded DCVG surveys can

provide a definitive external CP and Coating performance audit

• Combined CIPS + Recorded DCVG surveys should be

undertaken towards the end of the pipeline construction
defects maintenance period and thereafter at no longer than
10 year intervals

CORROSION CONTROL
 ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

Sumed Pipeline PL2C - Defect Sizing and Instant Off summary

-50 -2000
Defect Sizing (calculated radius(cm))

-45 -1800

Instant Off potential (mV)

-40 -1600
-35 -1400
-30 -1200
-25 -1000
-20 -800
-15 -600
-10 -400
-5 -200
0 0
52000 53000 54000 55000 56000
Distance (m)

CORROSION CONTROL
ADVANCED OVERLINE ASSESSMENT OF
COATINGS AND CATHODIC PROTECTION

CORROSION CONTROL